When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The number of spacecraft orbiting Earth is rising fast thanks to the emergence of private ...

Around 13,700 satellites orbit Earth, and with over 9,000, the U.S. owns the most. It's way ahead of any other nation, ...

China's satellite megaconstellation plans could clog low Earth orbit with large spent rocket stages, analysts warn. Those rocket stages could stay in orbit, increasing the risk of collisions, for over ...

"Everything we have ever designed to go into space has been one mission, one life. It's sort of crazy." The world at large is working to stop the fast-progressing degradation of Earth's environment.

In the last five years, the number of satellites orbiting Earth has more than doubled and will likely double again within a similar timespan, thanks to the efforts of private companies such as SpaceX.